Stained in Blood
by Kowareta1468
Summary: Jellal's life was pretty full. He had five siblings to take care of, working two jobs, and having absolutely no time for love, despite being a very qualified individual. That all changed when a mysterious blonde walked into his life. She was just so different that he couldn't help but be drawn to her. What he didn't know though, was that she had a horrible secret. JeLu!
1. Chapter 1: Prologue (9-13)

**I've decided to write another story. I know I have a lot running, but I just loved this idea so much. I also wanted to have a JeLu story going. It gets kind of repetitive writing all these stories about Lucy and Gray. I love writing them, but I just want to mix things up when I stay up all night writing, you know? **

**Summary: Jellal's life was pretty full. He had five siblings to take care of, working two jobs, and having absolutely no time for love, despite being a very qualified individual. That all changed when a mysterious blonde walked into his life. She was just so different that he couldn't help but be drawn to her. What he didn't know though, was that she had a horrible secret.**

**Profile: I have a few notices and things on my profile, so I hope you'll all check that out! I would really like to start updating regularly, and when I do, I'll put that policy up.**

**PM: If you every have any questions, comments, or suggestions, send me a private message. If you just want to talk, that's okay, too. I'm always here. Also, if there's any ideas you have for a story you'd like me to write, I would be happy to write it!**

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**Reviews: Reviews encourage me to update and write faster! So make sure you review! I give out a prize to the 100th reviewer, which would be a story or one-shot dedicated to them! I could do one of my ideas or your own, whichever you want. I may or may not do 200th, 300th, 400th, etc, depending on how many stories I have and whether or not you want a story or one-shot. I will do 500th for sure, since that's a big number. **

**Chapter Title: I will always put the date that I uploaded the chapter. If I post the chapter on May 20, you will see (5-20) in the title. Get it? Good.**

**Review Corner: **

There obviously isn't any reviews yet, so tune in the next chapter to see this feature!

**Quote: **No relationship is all sunshine, but two people can share an umbrella and survive the storm together. ~anonymous

**Song: **Remember Everything by Five Finger Death Punch

**One more thing!**** As you may know, if you read my story, _Bleeding Mascara_, I am going to be writing a novel. I decided that, if a few of you wish and think its a good idea, I would invite a few people to my Google Docs to read the story as I write it. You would get to add your input, edit, and be one of the first to read it. So if you are interested, PM me! You have to have an account on FanFiction to help out. Also, I'll check for a few things. If you write your own stories, that would be great, since you have experience writing. You don't have to write to help out, though. And if just want to be there to read and say what you think, that's great, too! I could use some feedback. I'm not sure when I'll start writing, but it will be a little while, since I'd want to get ahead on all my stories on here. So you all have plenty of time to think and decide if you want to help.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail!**

**Please enjoy and review :)**

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><p>A cold breeze nipped at Jellal's skin. He hugged himself tighter as he stepped inside the hospital. He sighed in relief when warmth flooded over him.<p>

"Jellal Fernandes?" a nurse asked, walking towards the bluenette. He nodded swiftly. "You're the guardian of Levy Fernandes, correct?"

"She's my twin, actually," he laughed. "But yes, I am her guardian at the moment."

"You may go see her after you sign in," the nurse said. She walked around, leading him to the front desk. He scribbled his name down on the paper. It seemed like he was at the hospital so often lately. "Thank you. She's in room 211."

"Thanks," he quickly said. The nurse clicked the button to open the doors. He quickly went trough. Levy would be on the second floor. He decided to take the stairs rather than the elevator.

"Where did she go?" a doctor asked angrily in the hallway. A few nurses were standing around looking worried. Jellal thought that was odd. He never heard of a hospital loosing a patient.

When he climbed the stairs to the second floor, he heard more yelling to find the girl, whoever it was. He didn't really care. He just wanted to go see his sister.

"There she is!" a nurse yelled. She almost ran into Jellal. He quickly stepped back. A few more nurses ran past him. That's when he heard an ear-piercing scream. The nurses passed him once again, this time carrying someone, whom he didn't care enough about to look.

"No! Let me go!" the girl screamed, fighting against the nurses. "I hate that room!" She was drug away, despite her pleas.

Jellal just shook it off. That was extremely weird, but he was already to room 211. He knocked twice. He entered after hearing a "come in." There his sister was, sitting on the hospital bed, her leg in a cast and raised. She had a book in one hand, a pen in the other. A notebook was resting under her pen, and another book was on her knees.

"Levy, what are you doing?" Jellal asked, a sigh mixed in. He noticed that she had her "special reading glasses" on. She claimed they helped her read faster. She didn't even need glasses, so it made no sense. Magic, she would say.

"I'm reading this book and writing my report," Levy said, never looking up from her pages. She would read a few from her book, then switch to the textbook. She would jot something down before reading her book again. She did this ten times before the book was ripped out of her hands.

"You're suppose to be recovering, not reading," he scolded her. She let her lips form into a pout. "Reading got you into this mess, yet you still want to do it?"

"Don't blame this on reading!" She crossed her arms. "It's more your fault than anything."

"First of all, you were reading a book while crossing the street. Secondly, I was trying to keep a hold of Wendy, hold Carla, and watch Juvia. How can I do all that and still watch you? You're seventeen. You don't need me to watch you." He took the textbook and notebook, adding them to the pile on the table across the room. In the two days she has been in the hospital, she managed to have an impressive stack. And that's just what he'd taken from her. Where is she even getting all the books from?

"Knock knock," Erza said, entering the room. Juvia ran in. Wendy stayed beside Erza, tightly gripping her pants. Carla was in her arms. "I brought the kids."

"Levy!" Juvia yelled excitedly, jumping on the bed. Jellal grabbed her just before she hit the mattress. She was only six years old. "Jellal," she pouted.

"Don't jump like that. You could hurt Levy," he scolded her. He set her nicely on the bed. She grinned and hugged Levy.

"Lev?" Wendy asked. She wasn't able to say her name fully yet. She was only two.

"You're a life saver," Jellal said, walking towards Erza. He took the eight-month-old baby from her arms. Carla had white hair, which was a mystery, considering the blue hair that seemed to run in the family.

"You know I like to help out as much as I can," Erza said, blushing. She had a huge crush on Jellal. She had since they were children. He was the only one that didn't know, really. Levy even knew.

Jellal handed Carla to Levy. Then he bent down and picked up Wendy. She giggled and touched his birthmark. She did that every time he picked her up.

"Where's Mystogen?" Levy asked. She smiled when Carla started chewing on her finger.

"I believe he was trying to pick up that nurse in the hallway," Erza said, rolling her eyes. "That kid is way too much of a playboy for a fifteen-year-old."

"Oh. My. God," Ontogeny said, bursting into the room. He failed to notice the condition of his older sister on the bed. "I just saw the hottest chick!"

"It's nice to see you doing well, too," Levy said, rolling her eyes. She picked Carla up by her armpits and started making faces at the baby. Her laughter echoed in the room.

Mystogen just waved her off. "Listen, this girl was H. O. T. hot! She had long brown hair, super long creamy legs, and the biggest chest! God, she was beautiful! I would have gotten her number if I didn't spend so much time staring at her ass."

"There are children present," Erza scolded, hitting him on the head. "And don't be creepy like that. You need to learn to respect women more."

"Yo!" a woman yelled, bursting into the room. She had a beer in one hand, a book in the other. "I brought you another book, Honey!"

"Cana," Jellal sighed. "Stop bringing her books. And I'm sure you aren't suppose to drink in a hospital." He looked and saw the grin on his brother's face. It was official. He was checking out Cana.

"Jellal, Baby!" Cana said, wrapping her arm around his shoulder, her chest squeezing into his arm. "You need to lighten up! Have a drink! Relax!"

"Cana," Jellal said in a threatening tone. She have him a smirk. "I'm not drinking. How many times do I have to-" He was interrupted by something on his lips. His eyed widened when he saw that Cana was kissing him. She pried his mouth open with hers, alcohol spilling into his mouth. She had him pinned against the desk behind him. Luckily Erza saved him.

"How many times are you going to do that?!" Erza shouted. "Stop kissing him!"

"Aw, is Wittle Erza Jealous?" Cana teased. She nudged the redhead with her elbow. She turned as bright red as her hair. "Hah! I'm just joking. Listen, I gotta bounce!" She threw her beer in the trash before leaving, pulling another from her fuzzy blue purse as she did.

"I wish she would kiss me like that," Mystogen said dreamily. Jellal and Erza both hit him at the same time.

Jellal may have been extremely busy and stressed, but moments like that made it all seem okay. He could just mess around with his friends and family, even if he had to get kissed by Cana and have a sip of beer in the process.


	2. Chapter 2 (9-13)

**A/N: I decided to update this story before my my others, since this one is new. I should be updating them all by the end of the week. This chapter was really short, but I was just introducing Lucy as a character. The next chapter is very long, just so you all know.**

**Review Corner: **

WoflieANNE: _Awww, was Lucy the one being dragged away earlier? I feel bad. Damn, Mystogan, a playboy? Never saw that coming! I hope you update soom ;) for me, hahaha. Okay just kidding. Take your time :)_

Duncundog: _OMG, you started a Jelu story, I am now in love with you. Thank you, Kowareta_

Leoslady4ever: _OMG Mystogen was hilarious. Love that you've made them all a family. And Cana hehehe... gotta love that girl!_

just diedcx: _Omfg i love it plzzzzz update ive read like three of tour stories and i love them all! Please update!_

**Quote: **Love at first sight is easy to understand; it's when two people have been looking at each other for a lifetime that it becomes a reality. ~Amy Bloom

**Song: **Out of Control by Hoobastank

**Please enjoy, review, and support my other stories!**

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><p>"Come on, hold my hand!" Natsu yelled angrily, forcefully grabbing Juvia's hand.<p>

"You don't have to be so rough," Lisanna said. She picked up Juvia, then crossed the street. He just huffed and followed her.

"Switch places!" Juvia yelled happily, reaching towards Wendy, who was in Gray's arms.

Gray sighed and set Wendy on the ground. Lisanna handed Juvia over so she could pick up Wendy. Juvia latched herself onto Gray's neck and smiled wide.

"That girl is way too into you," Natsu remarked, shivering. Even when she was a baby, Juvia loved Gray. It was really weird.

"If it's helping Jellal, then it's something he has to deal with," Mira said. Carla giggled in her arms, amused when her brother's name was said. "If us watching the kids makes his life a little easier, then I'll take them along every day."

X

"Hey," Mystogen said, winking at a nurse.

"Stop it," Jellal scolded him, smacking his head. "They need to concentrate, as you need to actually go for girls your age. With moderation, of course."

"You always say that," Mystogen said with an eye roll. He pushed the doors open to the cafeteria. It was almost nine at night, so the room was just about empty. He looked around. An old woman sat crying over there, a fairly young man looking anxious across the room, a blonde sitting by herself...

"Whoa!" Mystogen breathed out. "Who is that? She totally looks my age!" He gestured towards the blonde. Jellal just grabbed the collar of his shirt and drug him over to the food line. They hadn't eaten anything all day, and he was starving. His brother had to have been.

"I don't think that's a girl you want to talk to," Jellal mumbled, taking his food and sitting down. They were a few tables away from the blonde. He looked closely at her. Her hair was up in a bun, a hairstyle that looked too mature for her. Her shirt was kind of loose, but it ended only an inch past her breasts, which weren't that big anyways. Her shorts were super short. He was surprised that he couldn't see her underwear. Her feet were bare.

"Why do you get to check her out?" Mystogen pouted. He was sitting with his back to her. Jellal got to sit facing her.

"She looks like a slut, quite frankly," Jellal said, glaring at Mystogen. His brother was going to be a huge player that got a different disease every week when he was older. He just knew it.

"Why don't you go talk to her? You seem to know so much already." Mystogen had a smirk that would put Gray to shame. Gray was always smirking, it seemed. Thinking about it, Jellal realized that Mystogen must have been hanging around Loke and Gray too much in general.

"I have no desire to speak with her," Jellal said. He shot another glare towards his brother. He didn't just go up and talk to girls. That wasn't something he enjoyed.

"It's either me or you." Mystogen knew that Jellal would rather do it. That was one of the ways his brother looked out for him.

Just as predicted, Jellal stood up. Mystogen turned around so he could watch. The older bluenette walked up to the blonde and said a simple hello. She looked up at him and smiled, then went back to reading the book resting on her lap.

Jellal sat down. "I just needed to come over and talk to you so my stupid brother won't hit-on you," he explained. She nodded. "Oh, what book are you reading?"

"Romeo and Juliet," the girl said, holding the cover up to show him. "I love the classics."

Jellal was taken aback. He thought this girl was some slut, but she enjoyed classic literature. He may have been wrong. "You like Shakespeare?"

"Oh I love him! Hamlet is my favorite, though. I really enjoy all poetry. I read just about any book I get my hands on," she babbled. She looked up at him as if realizing something. "I'm Lucy, by the way."

"Jellal." He had forgotten about introducing himself as well.

Lucy shut her book and set it on the table. "So, Jellal, what are you here for? Is a family member sick?"

"My sister got hit by a car and broke her leg pretty bad. She's been in here four days now. The doctors think she will be out in a couple days," Jellal explained. "What about you?"

"Okay, your brother keeps gawking. Is he okay?" Lucy asked.

Jellal didn't even notice that she changed the subject so quickly. "Sorry, he's just like that. He gawks at every girl. He thinks your his age so he must really want to talk to you."

"Oh, how old is he?" Lucy asked. She wasn't taking an interest him. She was just curious.

"He's fifteen." Jellal sighed. "It's a shame that he is so much of a playboy this young. I fear his future."

Lucy giggled. "Well I am his age. I turned fifteen last summer," she said. "I said my age, so how old are you?"

"I'm seventeen." Jellal looked at the clock on his phone. It was almost nine-thirty. "Oh, I have to go. Visiting hours are over at ten and I need to stop by my sister's room again. I'm glad we got to talk."

"Yeah, same here," Lucy said with a smile.

Jellal wished her a good night and went back over to his table. Mystogen was sitting there with both wide eyes and a smirk. Jellal shook his head, grabbed the back of his shirt, and drug him out of the room.


	3. Chapter 3 (9-28)

**I'm sorry that I haven't updated in a while! I'll do better, promise!**

**Please Review!**

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><p>"Don't forget that your appointment in in one week," a nurse said.<p>

"Thank you," Jellal said. He looked to make sure he had everything and everyone. Levy had a backpack on her shoulders, tightly gripping her crutches. Juvia was securely holding onto Mystogen's hand, who was looking at nurses as they passed. Carla was secured in the stroller, the diaper bag tied to the handle. And finally, Wendy was resting on Jellal's hip. He felt, and looked, like a worn-out mother. He was pretty used to that, so he didn't let that bother him. He pushed the stroller with his free hand and left the hospital.

The walk home was chaotic as ever. Juvia complained about holding Mystogen's hand. Levy was still trying to read, despite being in crouches. Wendy was twisting and turning, looking at everything around her with interest. Carla was, luckily, sound asleep. Jellal was about to rip his hair out.

Eventually they made it home. It was just a small house with four bedrooms. As soon as they entered the house, Juvia and Wendy went off to the living room to play. Levy went to her room to read. Mystogen was in the room he shared with Jellal talking to whatever girlfriend he had at the moment. Jellal gathered Carla in his arms and went upstairs.

He first passed Levy and Juvia's room. There was a piece of duct tape on the floor, dividing the room in half. Levy was such a neat-freak. She'd probably go insane if the whole room looked like Juvia's side did. The next room was Wendy and Carla's. There was a little princess bed on one side, a crib on the other. The room had an overflowing toybox, a bookshelf full of children's books, and a rocking chair. Jellal made his way over to the crib. He gently laid Carla inside. She sighed in her sleep and snuggled herself into a ball.

Jellal went down the hall more. He stopped in front of a closed door. He reached out to turn the nob, but he bit his lip and stopped himself. Turning around completely, he faced another door. He swung it open. His room was typical. It had a pyramid bunk bed, Mystogen laying on the top. Jellal's desk was neatly positioned in the corner. The large closet had both of their clothes in it, along with a small dresser for socks and underwear. Jellal and Mystogen each got a wall to decorate. Jellal put up awards and things while the latter put up posters of nearly nude models.

After quickly changing into an old shirt and shorts, Jellal went back downstairs. Wendy was playing with blocks, and Juvia was playing with her dolls. He passed them and went to the kitchen area. He plopped down at the dinner table. He drug a hand down his face and tried not to sigh. He'd been doing that too much lately.

It was hard for him to think straight. He worked at the Strauss Flower Shop part-time, along with being a waiter at 8-Island. It wasn't much, but it helped to put food on the table. He was eternally grateful that the house was already payed for. He may not have been able to afford to pay rent. Even without those fees, though, he still struggled to make ends meet. He always had Wendy and Juvia bathe together to save water. They didn't have a TV or internet. Mystogen did mow the neighbors lawn so he could pay for his phone bill, so that helped. Levy always helped out at the book store. She wasn't making that much, though. He was always thankful that Mira's mother payed him more than she should. She knew that he was struggling and that was the only way she could help. He wouldn't except donations; he didn't want to be done charity.

"Jellal!" a too familiar voice called. He raised his head just in time to see Erza pouncing in, three large pans stacked in her hands. She had her usual radiant smile on her face. "I brought you guys dinner. I figured you haven't made anything yet." Of course she brought extra so they would have leftovers. She always did that.

"You really need to stop that," Jellal said. Despite his sour tone, he couldn't help but smile. "I was about to go make something."

Erza rolled her eyes and set the food down. "You guys can't live off instant Raman, you know." She moved to get plates and silver wear out. "We all know that that's your favorite thing to buy. It makes sense, though. At forty cents a cup, it would only cost two dollars to feed you all, minus Carla. It's smart, but not ever day." She took the foil off the pans. "I made lasagna."

Jellal smiled sadly. "That used to be her favorite." He shook the thought from his mind. "Thanks for doing this. You really do do it too often, though."

Erza waved him off. "Don't sorry about it. You know how Mom lives to help." She leaned into the doorway and yelled, "Dinner!"

Juvia came running into the room, holding Wendy up by her arms. The latter wasn't quite able to know what "dinner" meant yet, but Juvia sure did. Mystogen came right after, not once looking up from his phone. Even while texting he had that cocky grin. Levy came a minute later, her crutches slowing her down. "You're the best, Erza," she said with a smile.

Erza helped all the kids get their food while Jellal want to get Carla. She was still asleep, so he reached into her crib to tickle her. She woke up laughing, a sight that made Jellal happy. He picked her up and went back downstairs. Everyone was happily eating, not having a single clue that Erza brought the food. Levy knew, but that was it. Mystogen had an idea, but he had no clue that Jellal was struggling as much as he was. Levy knew, but she was never told everyone. Jellal didn't want her to worry. He only let her know what was obvious: he had to take care of them and could use some help when she could.

"You gotta save some for Mom and Dad," Juvia said innocently between stuffing her face with pasta.

The whole room fell silent. Erza, Mystogen, and Levy all had wide eyes. Wendy was too busy picking at her food with her fingers to notice the silence. Juvia was looking around, wondering why everyone got so quite. Jellal, however, didn't take the comment so well. He slid out of his chair and left the room, not saying a word. Erza quickly went after him. Levy laughed it off and got everyone talking again.

Erza followed Jellal upstairs. He slammed his door closed, but she knew that she could still follow him. So she cautiously opened the door. He was sitting on his bed, facing away. She went over sat in front of him. He used his forearm to cover his eyes, but she could still see the tears gathering at his chin and dripping to his lap. It broke her heart to see him so upset. Having nothing else to do, she pulled his head to her chest, giving him a warm hug. He just about instantly put his arms around her waist and cried openly. "Shh, I know," she whispered into his ear, rocking a little.

Looking up, Erza saw Mystogen standing in the doorway. His eyes were so wide she was honestly concerned that they would pop. It was no surprise to her that he was so shocked. She's the only person that's ever seen Jellal cry. He tried so well to hide his sadness, but it was obvious he couldn't hide it forever.

Mystogen was at a loss for words. Jellal was crying. His strong older brother that seemed to be able to do everything was crying like a child. He wasn't just crying, though. He was absolutely sobbing. He was so much in his world that he didn't notice he was there. Usually, if Jellal was upstairs trying to put a crying Carla to bed, he could still hear Mystogen opening the closet in his room. That's how good his hearing was. But now, he didn't hear him at all. It was almost scary to think about.

"I-I'm just going to go finish eating," Mystogen stuttered, still not sure what to think. He shut the bedroom door as he left, not wanting his other siblings to see his brother like that, especially Levy.

The room fell silent once again. Even Jellal's sobs stopped. He was the one to break the silence after a few minutes, though. "Erza," he said with a shaky breath. She pet his hair, letting him know that she was listening. "Promise me you won't leave me. I can't handle that again."

Erza smiled sadly into his hair. "I won't ever leave," she said softly. It was almost sad for her to say that, though. She knew that he didn't want her to stay as a lover, but only as a friend. It seemed like he would never have feelings for her. It was only a matter of time before someone else came along as stole his heart. And honestly, she couldn't say how she would handle that.


	4. Chapter 4 (10-25)

**A/N: A lot of you have been asking about Lucy. I'm not going to let you know in this story! It's written mainly from Jellal's point of view, so you'll learn as other do. **

**Review Corner: **

WolfieANNE: _aww dang it whyy hahaha_

XxCherryXJellyxX: _Nyah! I love this story, there aren't enough JeLu's out there. I am very curious how Jellal's parents died and why Lucy was in the hospital. Is she there for her mom or was she the screaming patient?_

Hello (Guest): _BSE! Best Story Ever!_

Violet in Wonderland: _Poor jellal. Why doesn't his sister help him out? I know she's injured and all, but still... __I'm glad Erza is there to help. Btw, great chapter, can't wait for the next one!_

**Thanks for all the reviews! And make sure you leave one for a chance to be featured in the next chapter! **

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><p>Jellal scrambled around the house, trying to get everyone ready. He had to pack the diaper bag for Carla, the bag for Wendy, and pack extra clothes for both. Next was making sure that Juvia was dressed for school, having her backpack in order. Mystogen was awful to get ready in the morning, so he wasn't as easy to get moving. The only problem with Levy was getting her to stop reading long enough to get into the car. It may have seemed like an unusually chaotic morning, but this happened five times a week, whenever it was time for school. Wendy, Carla, and Juvia went to Mira's house, since her mother took Juvia to school and watched the little ones during the day. Jellal drove Levy and Mystogen to school, since they all went to Fairy Tail Academy.<p>

Jellal had managed to get everyone to school on time. He walked like a zombie to the Student Council room. He was welcomed with a pile of paperwork on his desk, and everyone screwing around. Erza seemed to be the only one working. She had already started the paperwork. He was glad to have her as a Vice President. If Natsu had the job, nothing would ever get done.

"Levy, you're finally back!" Loke cheered, throwing himself at the bluenette. "I missed your beautiful-" He was rudely interrupted by Gajeel's fist colliding with his face. Levy giggled, making the black-haired man blush slightly. He cleared his throat and looked away, oddly embarrassed.

"You guys all need to get to work," Jellal said, sitting down at the teacher's desk. "Natsu, Gray, and Lisanna, you need to start planning for the Halloween dance. I need decorations, a DJ, refreshments, and a date approved. Cana, I need you to go to all the classrooms and collect attendance and any other papers we may need. Levy and Mira, you two need to write the announcements for the week. Gajeel and Loke, I want you guys to go hand out progress reports. Erza, you're helping me with paperwork."

Everyone scrambled into action after being told their job. This happened every morning. Jellal would tell everyone what to do and they would do it. Once they finished, they would go to class. Jellal and Erza were usually the last to leave, since they had a lot of paperwork to do. They didn't mind, though. It was just the price they had to pay for being the President and Vice President of Student Council.

It was second period when there was a knock on the door. Everyone else had finished their work for the day, so Erza and Jellal were the only ones left in the room. She quickly got up and answered the door. "Master Makarov," she said in surprise. "What can we do for you?"

"I have a new student here," Makarov said, motioning to the girl beside him. Erza hadn't even noticed her before. "I'd like you guys to show her around and get her paperwork ready."

"Of course," Erza said. Makarov smiled before leaving. "I'll set up a student file for you right now." She led the girl farther into the classroom.

Jellal looked up to see who the new student was. "Lucy?" he asked, honestly surprised. She was wearing the school uniform: a black skirt, black knee-high stockings, a white shirt, and a blue bow tie. She was wearing a black hoodie, which was proved to all students in case they would get cold. They have special jackets for winter time, but students aren't permitted to wear them out of season. Girls are usually give pink hoodies, but she must have asked for the boys' color.

"It's nice to see you again, Jellal," Lucy said with a smile. She sat down at the chair in front of his desk.

Erza watched the two carefully. She didn't like the way they smiled at each other, or that they knew each other at all. Lucy didn't have a very big chest or many curves, but she was still pretty. Her blonde hair was a bit faded, her eyes dull, and her skin pale. Looking closely, all her good features were bad in some way.

"Erza, please make her a file," Jellal said, giving the redhead a clipboard with information that mysteriously filled itself out. She was examining the blonde longer than she thought. "I'm going to go show her around school and take her to her class." Erza didn't like the idea one bit, but she had no other choice but to do what she was told.

Jellal held the door open for the blonde as they both exited the room. He noticed how she shifted uncomfortably as they walked. It was odd for her to be so nervous. She was playing with the bottom of her hoodie, looking down at the floor. She wasn't so nervous when they talked before. Speaking of which, she never did tell him why she was at the hospital. He wasn't about to ask her, though.

The tour didn't take very long, since the school wasn't that big. She was just a freshmen, so she didn't need to know the whole layout of the school. "And this brings us to your classroom," Jellal said. He opened up the door, catching the attention of everyone in the room. He saw Mystogen in the back, talking to a couple girls. He stopped paying attention to them once he saw Lucy standing there. A smirk reached his lips.

"What can I do for you, President Jellal?" the teacher, Miss Kagura, asked. It wasn't uncommon for the staff to call Jellal by his Student Council title. It was just something they all did.

"This is Lucy Heartfilia," Jellal introduce the blonde beside him. "She's a new student and will be attending this class. I just showed her around, so she's all set."

"Yes, thank you," Miss Kagura said. "Lucy, why don't you sit beside Mystogen in the back? We can give you a different seat later, if need be."

"I'll be on my way then," Jellal announced. He handed Lucy her schedule and a map of the school. "You can stop by the Student Council room at any time if you need something." He shot a glare towards his brother. "And I hope that you behave. I don't want to hear about you harassing her."

"Yeah, yeah," Mystogen said, waving him off. "When have I ever mistreated a lady?" A few kids in the class snickered.

Jellal rolled his eyes before leaving. He wasn't too far from the Student Council room, so he was there within a couple strides. He stepped inside, only to be greeted by a glare from Erza. His eyes never left hers as he took his seat once again.

"You two seemed to know each other quite well," Erza pointed out, the venom in her voice unmistakable.

"We met at the hospital a few days ago," Jellal said with a shrug. He started looking through the now small stack of papers on his desk. "It's more of us just knowing each other's names. I mean, I know she's fifteen and likes to read, but that's hardly anything to count as friendship." He paused. "Why do you care so much, anyways?"

The pencil in Erza's hand snapped right in half. "I don't care," she said through clenched teeth. "You're the one dragging it on." She looked down at the papers on her desk as if she was going to work. It was hard to ignore the way Jellal's face lit up when he saw Lucy. That couldn't have been nothing. And with her dull appearance, how could she not feel down? The redhead was curvy, busty, and just plain beautiful. Yet the blonde lighten his mood so quickly. It just didn't make sense.

Back with Lucy, she quietly took a seat. She unconsciously pulled her sleeves down farther past her hands. She felt so naked, despite the many layers covering her pale body. The look Mystogen was giving her didn't help much, either. It looked like he wanted to eat her. Maybe in more ways then one; it was difficult to tell, really.

"So the mysterious beauty enter my class," he said. He had a grin on his face closer to a smirk than anything. Just another thing he picked-up from hanging around Loke and Gray too much.

Lucy pulled at her sleeves again. "I'm not mysterious." She bit her lip, not really convinced by her own words. She was saying it more for herself than him. "I'm completely normal."

"Mystogen, may I have a word with you?" Miss Kagura said. A few kids snickered. "It's not anything bad. This time." It was the end of class already. The bell was going to ring very soon, then everyone would be dismissed for lunch.

Mystogen rolled his eyes and went to the teacher's desk. She had that fake grin she always used with him. "What's up?" He asked, slouching against the corner of his desk. He smirked, knowing full well that a few girls were staring at him. A few have fessed up before about staring at his "perfect ass." That was attention he always welcomed, even though Jellal always hated standing out with their bloodline looks.

"Are you friends with Lucy?" She looked at him thoughtfully. "It seemed as if Jellal knew her, as well." Mystogen nodded, clearly bored with the conversation. "I know how stressful it is for new students, so do you mind helping her out? Help her catch up in her classes, learn the ropes of the school, maybe sit with you at lunch?"

His face lit up. "Are you giving me permission, ordering me no less, to talk to the hot new girl?" A wide smirk stretched across his features. "Don't mind if I do." He sauntered back to his seat, suddenly very excited.


	5. Chapter 5 (11-30)

**A/N: I've just been picking at this chapter all day, and I finally got it done. I really am babying this story, I noticed. I just can't help it! I have such different plans for this story compared to my others. I guess I just write it differently without thinking. Or is it just me that thinks it's written differently?**

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><p>Jellal impatiently tapped the steering wheel, waiting for his brother to leave the school. He figured the young man was caught up with a bunch of girls trying to talk to him. He had the same problem, but he never really paid them any mind. Levy was sitting beside him, reading a book like usual. The doctor said that her leg was healing nicely, so instead of crutches she wore a boot.<p>

After a long five minutes, Mystogen came to the car, but not alone. Lucy was with him. It came as quite a shock to Jellal. Did he manage to convince her to go out with him? Or was he just taking her against her own will? He learned that neither was the case. Their teacher had asked Mystogen to help her with her school work and such, and Lucy was just coming over to get help with math. Jellal almost laughed when Mystogen told him this, because the latter doesn't understand basic math, let alone the math he's suppose to understand. That just meant one more person Jellal would have to help.

The car ride was more chaotic than usual, thanks to a certain blonde. The two fifteen-year-olds sat in the middle section of the minivan, leaving the back three seats for Carla, Juvia, and Wendy. Carla's car seat was squished between the two, leaving the small bluenettes very unhappy. Juvia only went to Kindergarden, so her school ended at noon. That just meant more kids had to be picked up at Mira's house.

The whole ride, the blonde was not left alone for a second. Juvia kept quizzing her on different sea animals, since the young girl was very interested in that. Wendy kept asking if she believe in dragons, then went on about all these dragons who's names she could say correctly. Carla was getting antsy, crying out every few minutes. Mystogen was trying to flirt with her. Levy was the only one keeping to herself, but it was obvious that she wasn't reading, but rather listening to the chaos in the car.

"I want you to start your homework!" Jellal called to Levy, who was heading towards the house the moment the car went into park. The bluenette may have been a genius, but she had a tendency to read all night, forgetting to do the homework she was actually supposed to do. The night always ends with her doing her homework no earlier than midnight.

Jellal groaned. "Mystogen, will you help me with Carla?" He was trying to get Wendy out of her seat, make sure Juvia got in the house safely, and get all the diaper bags.

"I'll get her," Lucy said, reaching in and grabbing Carla. She held her on one hip and grabbed all the bags with the other. Jellal was impressed, but he didn't really have time to marvel. He was too busy passing Wendy to Mystogen so he could go over and help Juvia who tripped going up the porch steps, once again, and scraped her knee. She always seemed to run up the steps too fast and fall.

"Is it always this busy?" Lucy asked as she followed Mystogen inside the house. She barely even noticed the way he was practically drooling while looking at her. "You do have a big family here."

"I got a dolphin bandade!" Juvia said proudly, running over to Mystogen when he stepped inside. She extended her knee, showing off her covered injury. She looked to Lucy. "Did you know that dolphins have to still breathe air when they sleep, so they only let half their brain sleep?"

"That's pretty cool," Lucy said, actually interested. "I never knew that." She ruffled the young girl's hair. "You're going to be quite the scientist one day."

Juvia nodded happily and bounced off to go do her homework. Lucy quickly found Jellal, and he took the baby and all the bags. The two had a short, meaningless conversation, which left Mystogen impatient. "So math?" he asked, grabbing her wrist. He dragged her upstairs to his room. He slumped down on Jellal's bed, which was the bottom bunk, while she took a seat at Jellal's desk. It was the neater of the two. Mystogen's desk was covered with clothes, candy wrappers, cups, and random things like pens and little notebooks. Jellal's desk, on the other hand, was nicely organized. A pencil cup in the one corner, a small stack of notebooks in order of size in front of the cup. A small container of binder and paper clips on the other side, along with a three-hole-puncher. The shelves below the desk contained a few binders, a dictionary, and other resource books.

"So what do ya need help with?" Mystogen asked, twirling the pencil he grabbed from his backpack. He really wasn't that smart, so he was hoping she didn't need help on the harder stuff. He figured the teacher only asked him to help because Jellal was his older brother, and he would end up helping Lucy anyways.

"I was already looking through the book, and I already know-" she began to say, but a call for them from downstairs interrupted her.

Mystogen glanced over to the clock. It was exactly five. "It must be time for dinner." He stood up and stretched his arms high above his head. "We always eat at five. Come on."

Everyone was already in the dining room. Wendy was bouncing in her seat. Juvia had a biologist magazine opened in front of her, completely consumed in it. Levy was just placing Carla in her seat before taking her own seat, a book in hand. Mystogen sat in his seat. He pulled Lucy down beside him. Jellal entered the room carrying a large pot of chili. The cornbread was already on the table. He started grabbing the kids' bowls to fill so they didn't hurt themselves or make a mess. When his eyes landed on Lucy, he noticed her watching him with a blush on her cheeks. He figured it was because of what he was wearing. His usual school uniform, which is all she's ever seen him in, was replaced with a tight black muscle shirt and blue gym shorts. His muscles were always a lot more defined than Mystogen's, even at his age, which was why his younger wasn't happy about his "date" blushing at him.

Everyone ate in silence for a long time. Carla would occasionally make her usual baby noises while Jellal was feeding her, or Juvia would call out a cool fact she just thought of. Overall, though, the only sound they all heard was the clattering of their spoons against their bowls. Dinner was always like that. Everyone sort of did their own thing, everyone having their own things to worry about. And that included Lucy. "I'm going to use to restroom real quick," she said, quickly leaving the room. Levy eyed the blonde as she left. It was odd how she seemed almost dizzy. Brushing the thought away, she went back to eating and reading.

After ten minutes though, everyone started to notice that Lucy should be back already. "I'll go check on her," Jellal said, getting up from his seat. Levy shook her head at him. "No, I'll go," she said. "You can't barge in on a girl in the bathroom, right?" She laughed about his pouting face as she made her way upstairs.

The bathroom door was cracked open a little, just enough for Levy to see inside. She peaked in. Lucy was leaning against the sink, panting. Her arms were stuffed inside the sink. Levy's eyes widened. Her arms were covered with blood. A pocket-knife was setting off to the side. The blonde seemed to have it under control, though. She lifted her backpack from her feet and pulled out a yellow washcloth which was stained in blood. Next came peroxide and a large box of bandages. She used the washcloth to wipe the knife clean before putting that away.

Levy hurried away just as Lucy was dressing her wounds. "What was she doing?" she breathed out, sliding down the wall farther down the hallway. "Did she cut herself? Is that why she was acting funny? Is she depressed?" She heard the bathroom door creak open, so she quickly got up and hurried back downstairs. She sat down just as Lucy entered the room again.

The rest of the night Levy watched closely, but nothing odd seemed to happen to Lucy. It made her wonder if she imagined the whole thing.


End file.
